Law Firms Gearing Up for Another Bumper Year, as ‘National Divorce Day’ Approaches

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Manchester based solicitors JMW are expecting a busy January for divorce cases as press dub the 3rd 'National Divorce Day'

(PRWEB UK)14 January 2013

The 3rd of January has been unofficially christened ‘National Divorce Day’, as a result of the number of enquiries made each year by couples seeking a divorce.

Figures released by the Office of National Statistics demonstrate a 4.9% jump in the number of divorces in 2012, whilst data from search giant Google indicates that January 2012 produced one of the highest ever peaks in users searching for ‘divorce’.

The trend has not been missed by divorce solicitors, many of whom are offering web-based offers such as £65 for a speedy split and 20% off legal fees in the post-Christmas period.

Speaking to the Daily Star, Steve Barnes of NetVoucherCodes.co.uk said: “December and January are by far the busiest months in terms of the number of people searching for a divorce code.

“The peak days are the two weeks after Christmas Day when we are expecting to see thousands of codes accessed.”

However, not everyone is comfortable with the rise in the number of divorce cases. High court judge, Sir Paul Coleridge, has set up a foundation aimed at promoting marriage.

The Marriage Foundation will attempt to “end the scourge of divorce”. Speaking to the Telegraph, Sir Paul said: "Marriage and family breakdown is one of the most destructive scourges of our time.

“For that reason, I have, for some years now, been trying to raise the subject whenever I have had the chance to speak publicly on the matter. I am now convinced that it is time not only to talk but to act.”

Sir Paul’s sentiments about divorce and the divorce process were, to a certain extent, echoed by a recent study which asked British people whether they felt there were enough legal hurdles to deter couples from rushing into divorce.

The study, due to be released on Thursday by the Office for National Statistics, found that almost six out of 10 people in Britain agree that it is too easy to get a divorce.

Despite anti-divorce rhetoric, the fact remains that the vast majority of law firms in the UK are expecting another big jump in enquiries this January. James Brown, Partner, of Manchester’s JMW Solicitors, commented: “It may be unfortunate, but there’s no denying the fact that we always experience a much higher level of divorce enquiries immediately after Christmas.

“We can only guess that it’s because people are using the perceived ‘fresh start’ of the new year to re-evaluate their living situation, and there’s always going to be some sort of fallout from that.

“Christmas can also be a highly stressful time of year when things aren’t going the way they should be, and for many relationships this can be the straw that breaks the camel’s back.”

It remains to be seen whether January 2013 will prove the biggest ever year for divorce enquiries, but all the signs would seem to suggest it.

JMW Solicitors LLP is one of Manchester’s leading law firms and offers a broad range of legal services to both commercial and private clients. Its expertise covers everything from divorce law to personal injury and business crime. For more information visit: http://www.jmw.co.uk/services-for-you/family-law/divorce/.